Captain Flame responds to Thren's inquiries about the crate "Well a group of four individuals delivered the crate a few hours before you all arrived. Handed me half of my coin and then they were gone. Now that I think on it more, they did have a strange red glow in their eyes, probably similar to what Vale saw."

Zane

After the minutes have passed, Zane says, "Well, it seems that he under the influence of some powerful enchantment indeed. I wouldn't have an inkling to what exactly was done, but he seems to not be of his own mind. If there indeed is a mind active in there."

(His mind is whirring about, trying to recall if he has heard of ways to kill vampires. He is proficient in History, roll in game log: 17)

He looks ate Vale, "I'm sorry, I have no idea on how to help him. I have heard of magic that can suppress the enchantment for a little while, but don't know it myself just yet."

He stands up and says to others, "It is beyond me how we could help her brother out on the sea here. He doesn't seem to be getting better or worse. Maybe it's better to put things back as they were and follow him on land?"

"True, I have no way to dispel this enchantment. Perhaps it is better to close it back up and maybe glean more information once on land" says Bellamy.

Zane

"Does everyone bitten by a vampire become a vampire?"

Somehow Rel had thought it was more complicated than that, but in truth, she has no idea.  Nor does she have knowledge of the apparent enchantment.

"Vale, I am truly sorry.  I for one am uncertain what to do.  If Vlad is truly a vampire now, and under the effect of a spell which may control his actions and thoughts, then he and the open crate pose a grave danger.  So I am open to the suggestion to close up the box again.  What do others think?"

"Looking at it from a different angle, I don't know about the enchantment in place but doesn't this kind of magic usually stop working when one dies? If that is the case, then it would be evidence that he is still alive or undead but not dead. Spinning this out even further, if Rel is right and it isn't so simple to just become a vampire by a simple bite, perhaps he is in fact not yet undead, and if the enchantment doesn't work on dead, he would still be alive to some degree. Would it be possible to design an experiment to determine whether he is undead or not? Is there any characteristic that undead have that dead don't? I remember from stories that vampires don't have mirror images but I'm not sure if this is true." Just to be sure, Tex checks if he can see a reflection of Vlad in his gleaming armour. "Well, I mean, if you all want, I can close the crate and fix the damage as well as possible and we will see how this unfolds afterwards, but my gut feeling is that there is more that we can do."

Zane says, "In theory sunlight might have some kind of an effect. I'll be right back."

He rushes off to his gear (he has a disguise kit) and pulls out a small mirror (or a polished metal plate or something that works as a mirror) and will attempt to find a way to angle sunlight from above into the room and the crate. Possibly getting Tex to help out with his gleaming armour as well.

Tex will certainly help Zane to reflect light into the hold, if at all possible.

Tex and Zane

Zane intelligence check with advantage (in game log): 12

Zane heads to the stairs leading down while Tex positions himself near Vlad and the crate. Zane pulls out his mirror and angels the sun down through the stairwell towards Tex who then repositions himself and angles his gleaming armor so the light hits Vlad. You see his skin begin to blister and smoke.

 Vale screams "OK stop! It's hurting him!"

„That’s not very good news.“ Tex exclaims.

Zane comes back in. "Well, that kind of proves it I guess. First that he's not ... well, fully gone. Second, that whatever he has gone through, he has gone through quite far. If he's not a full vampire yet then at least he is well under his way there."

He turns to Vale, "The main thing you have to realize - that thing in the crate is not your brother, not any more. He might look like him and should he wake up then he might sound like him, but that's an entirely different species of being."

Rel stirs uneasily.  "You know, I didn't think of it before... perhaps none of us did.  But now that Vlad's skin is blistered with damage from the sun, there is no hiding from whoever opens the crate next that someone has opened it already.  Even if Tex puts it back together perfectly."

She looks at the others.  Especially Thren who seems as if he might know.  "Are we sure that being bitten by a vampire always turns you into a vampire?  I have heard legends that there are lesser forms - perhaps still sunlight sensitive as Vlad clearly is, but not themselves vampires.  Even ones who maintain their own agency... after?  Of course, any such agency may be overridden with the enchantment that has been laid upon Vlad's mind."

She sighs, helpless.  "But given the risk, I don't know what we can do except shut him back in as best we can.  Interesting that he hasn't attacked us."

"I believe he does not move because of the geas placed on him. Most likely used to keep him from creating trouble. Now I am no expert, but perhaps blood can heal the blistering from the sun" says Bellamy

„Might be he regenerates, don’t they do that?“ Tex asks hopeful but scared. „So do you want me to close this, or do we have other ideas?“ He turns to Vale, „Given what you have learned here, do you think it will be in your brother‘s interest that we deliver him? I, for one, would rather not roam as an undead. We have to assume that his mind is enslaved, too. Consider, and keep in mind that he is clearly not alive, that we could burn him and give him a proper burial and spare him to be an undead servant where he might be forced to do the unspeakable, unimaginable.“

Vale is obviously emotional just by looking at her. Tears run down her cheek. Anger in her brow. "This can't just be it. There has to be a way to reverse it right? This isn't the end for him, it can't be... Why would Lord Agustin do this to him.....Why!!!" She slams her fist against the hard wooden floor boards. She is distraught and not listening to reason at this point. Her emotions are taking over. 

Captain Flame puts his arm around her, "This is beyond anything any of us have seen before, I do not wish for this to be the end for him. But we need to try and see where this leads. Perhaps if we follow the crate from the shadows we might be able to find out why this is happening. What Lord Agustin is planning. It was said that this item was to be auctioned to the wealthy, perhaps that was a cover or perhaps the nobles of Port Damali are in the vampire trading business, who knows. But I think following where this leads will give us.... you, the answers you seek."

Vale stands and clenches her fist while looking to you all, "What do you think? If following will lead us to answers then I want to be a part of it. In the end, I want Lord Agustin to answer for what he has done..... he cannot get away with this."

"Yes as we need more information, which may lead to new options. Alright lets close this crate back up and follow it once on shore" says Bellamy

Rel looks uncertain but acquiesces.  "Should one of us attempt to heal the blistering burns from the sunlight before we seal him back in?  I am happy to do so as some of my... magic can replenish even during the day after a brief rest."

IF everyone agrees, Rel uses a pact slot to cast Healing Word on Vlad, healing him for 7 hp.

"If anyone can think of a way for us to track him once the crate is out of our hands, now is the time."  Rel's voice becomes more quiet.  Private.  "There is someone... my patron.  The source of my black beams of force and linked to my warhammer and these earrings and... anyway, she spoke inside my mind as she never has before during the battle with the sea serpent.  She is supremely interested in death, though not with undeath, I think.  When I healed Vale after the ship's boom struck her, she approved, observing it is not yet Vale's time.  But for the lad in the crate, she seemed strangely uncertain."

Zane says, "Vale, we will follow this path with you."

He also nods to Rel, "Good idea to heal him"

And to the wider circle, "So, first we need to decide what to tell the rest of the crew. I believe it's best to keep the circle as small as possible. People will freak out if we mention anything about vampires. It's for you to decide, Captain."

Zane continues, "Next order of business is making a plan for when we get to port and hand over the crate. I'm thinking that most of us should scatter to cover the streets heading out of the port, maybe some even to find horses in case they exit the city."

He turns to Vale once more, "You cannot be anywhere near this at all. They might either recognize you or be suspicious of someone being strongly emotional when delivering a crate. It's probably best if you stay hidden on the ship until all of this is over and we are ready to follow. What do you think?"